Squash, Summer, Peter Pan Hybrid (Scallop)

Short Description

Miniature patty pan type with light green fruits, meatier than most.

Full Description

This All-America Selections winner is a miniature patty pan type with light green 1-3" fruits that's meatier than most patty pans. Distinctive, delicious, sweet flavor and vigorous, early-bearing plants. Pick over a long period. Summer squash and zucchini ripen early and are highly productive. The bush type plants take little space. After danger of frost, sow 3 to 4 seeds in groups 3 to 4' apart or sow 6" apart in rows, later thinning to 3' apart.

Type
Some flowers and vegetables fall into subcategories that may define how they grow (such as pole or bush), what they are used for (such as slicing tomatoes or shelling peas), flower type, or other designations that will help you select the type of a class of plant that you are looking for.

Summer Scallop Green

Days To Maturity
The average number of days from when the plant is actively growing in the garden to the expected time of harvest.

50 days

Fruit Size
The average size of the fruit produced by this product.

1-3 inches

Sun
The amount of sunlight this product needs daily in order to perform well in the garden. Full sun means 6 hours of direct sun per day; partial sun means 2-4 hours of direct sun per day; shade means little or no direct sun.

How to Sow

Sow seeds directly in the garden in fertile, warm soil in full sun after danger of frost has passed.

Be sure to choose an area when you did not plant squash or related crops within 2 years.

Sow 1-2 seeds about 36 inches apart. Cover with 1 inch of fine soil.

Firm lightly and keep evenly moist.

Seedlings emerge in 10-14 days.

Thin to one plant when seedlings have two sets of leaves.

How to Grow

Keep weeds under control during the growing season. Weeds compete with plants for water, space and nutrients, so control them by either cultivating often or use a mulch to prevent their seeds from germinating.

Keep plants well-watered during the growing season, especially during dry spells. Plants need about 1-2 inches of rain per week during the growing season. Use a rain gauge to check to see if you need to add water. It's best to water with a drip or trickle system that delivers water at low pressure at the soil level. If you water with overhead sprinklers, water early in the day so the foliage has time to dry off before evening, to minimize disease problems. Keep the soil moist but not saturated.

Squash plants have both male and female flowers on the same plant. Male flowers will open first and the female flowers will open later.

Monitor for pests and diseases. Check with your local Cooperative Extension Service for pest controls recommended for your area.

Attract bee pollinators by planting daisies such as sunflowers, cosmos, zinnias and coneflower, and mints such as beebalm, sage, oregano and lavender. More bees mean more chances flowers will be pollinated and develop into fruits. Border squash plots with rows of beans, herbs, peppers and tomatoes.

Harvest Summer Squash & Preserving

Harvest when fruits are small and the skin is shiny. Harvest often. To keep summer squash producing pick all fruit at this stage. If fruit is allowed to mature the plant may stop producing.

To pick summer squash give the fruit a gentle twist until it snaps off.

Store summer squash in plastic bags in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Male squash blossoms are also delicious and sweet, try dipping in batter and frying.

Harvest Winter Squash & Preserving

Wait to until the fruit has matured to harvest.

Fruit will have a dull skin that is too hard to pierce with your thumbnail.

To harvest, cut fruit from the vine with shears leaving a 2- 3 inch stem on each squash.

Rated 5 out of
5 by
AnneintheGarden from
Peter Pan / Scallop squash2014- late start in the garden this year due to weather. We seem to have gone from winter straight into summer, around June.
So, that said, the squash went into the garden as tiny plants in June and by mid July I am getting more than I can keep up with! They are delicious small or large ( I thought they would get tough, but NOPE!) Found that out when I 'missed' picking a few.
Next year I am limiting my squash to one zucchini, one crook neck and all the rest of the summer squash will be every kind of scallop I can get my hands on. Just delish! Baked, fried, sauteed, grilled... you can't go wrong.
Water and feed them and they go crazy. And if you are out early in the morning, you can see the baby bees sleeping inside the flowers!

Date published: 2014-08-11

Rated 5 out of
5 by
bluestar from
Excellent; heavy feederThese are excellent squash -- wonderful flavor and texture, and they look really cool in the garden to boot. I have noticed, though, that they give best results if fed frequently (I have to feed once per week when they're producing). They do vine out a little, about four or five feet, so give them some room.

Date published: 2011-08-02

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Mdae from
Favorite Squash EVER!this is the best of the summer squashes! flour and fry it - peel if the skin is has gotten tough. excellent flavor and easy care.